Nonspecific protein adsorption to implanted medical devices is believed to be the first step that leads to adverse events such as bacterial infection, blood clot formation, and fibrous encapsulation. Surfaces that resist protein adsorption, or “antifouling surfaces”, are therefore critical for biomedical implants as well as other related biomedical applications such as drug delivery and engineering applications such as the prevention of marine and freshwater fouling. Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), oligo(ethylene glycol) (OEG) and their derivatives are the most commonly used nonfouling materials. However, they undergo oxidative degradation, especially in the presence of oxygen and transition metal ions, both of which are abundant in vivo. Recent studies show that surfaces covered with or without PEG polymers produced a similar degree of fouling in vivo. Several types of polymers have been developed as alternatives to PEG, including carbohydrate derivatives, poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline), zwitterionic polymers, and polypeptoids. Among them, polypeptoids have been shown to provide long-term resistance to protein and cell adhesion. Though such non-fouling materials exist, there is a need in the art for other non-fouling (or anti-fouling) materials.